Christmas tree light holder



"Mayi12, 1959 QL;JOHINSONY r 5 CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT HOLDER Filed'Oct."Y, 1957 ZNVENTOR. COL/IV 1.. JOHNSON United States Patent CHRISTMASTREE LIGHT HOLDER Colin L. Johnson, Richmond, Calif. Application October7, 1957, Serial No. 688,525

1 Claim. (Cl. 24-81) This invention relates to a Christmas tree lightholder.

It is a matter of common knowledge that strings of Christmas tree lightsare difficult to mount on Christmas trees and that, after being mountedand suitably spaced, the lights have an undesirable propensity to turnand twist so that, instead of standing erect as they should, they occupyinclined, horizontal and inverted positions.

Heretofore, many different holders have been proposed to solve theproblem of mounting Christmas tree lights on Christmas trees. However,such devices have been far from satisfactory.

Thus in Grafke U.S. Patent No. 338,594, a Christmas tree candle holderis provided which comprises a socket intended to receive the base of acandle and an alligator type of clamp intended to clamp to a branch ortwig of a tree. Adaptation of this device for holding a string ofChristmas tree lights would be difiicult. Also the means of gripping thetwig or branch is not advantageous. Thus, for an alligator clamp to workeffectively, it requires something of greater width or diameter than asmall twig or branch of a Christmas tree.

Other Christmas tree light holders proposed heretofore are subject todisadvantages which are as grave as the disadvantages of the aforesaidGrafke patent.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedChristmas tree light holder which is easily fixed to a branch or twig ofa Christmas tree, which is inexpensive to manufacture, which willreadily accept the base or socket of a Christmas tree light and whichwill hold each light firmly in erect position or at any angle desired.

This and other objects of the invention will be apparent from theensuing description and the appended claim.

One form of the invention is shown by way of example in the drawings, inwhich: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a blank cut or stamped from a piece ofsheet metal or plastic and from which the Christmas tree holder of thepresent invention is formed.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the Christmas tree holder of theinvention as made from the blank shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation of the Christmas tree holder ofFigure 2, as seen from the left of Figure 2, showing the same mounted ona twig or branch of a Christmas tree and carrying a Christmas treelight.

Referring now to the drawings and preliminarily to Figure l, a blank isthere shown which is generally designated by the reference numeral andfrom which a Christmas tree holder is formed in accordance with theinvention, such Christmas tree holder being shown in Figure 2 and beinggenerally designated by the reference numeral 11.

Referring again to Figure 1, the blank 10 is a unitary, integral piecewhich is preferably stamped out of sheet metal although it may be madeof plastic or other suitable resilient material, or of sheet metalcoated with plastic. The blank 10 comprises a body portion 12 whichbranches laterally at its upper end to form a pair of oppositelydirected arms 13. Near its lower end the body has two short laterallyextending arms 14. The body portion 12 extends downwardly below thelower arms 14 to provide an end tab 15. The tab 15 is perforated at 1511for a purpose which will be explained hereinafter.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 2, the blank 10 described andillustratedin Figure l, is formed into the Christmas tree holder 11 asfollows:

The upper, longer arms 13 are bent on a radius to form a collar orholder element 16 within which a socket or base of a Christmas treelight is fitted as explained here inafter with reference to Figure 3.The outer ends of the arms 13 are bent reversely to form end tabs orfinger holds. The body 12 is curved as shown in Figure 2 and is bentadjacent the lower arms 14 at a nearly angle to form a horizontalportion 12a. The lower arms 14 are bent to form a clip 17 and the tab 15is bent rearwardly through an angle of so as to underlie the horizontalportion 12a. As best shown in Figure 3, the arms 14 are bent inwardlyand then outwardly to form a constricted section or throat 1441. A pin18 is provided which is passed through the perforation 15a in the endtab 15, such pin having a head which will retain it in position. The tab15, being bent backwardly upon the horizontal portion 12a, will lock thepin 18 securely in place.

In use, a Christmas tree light such as that shown at 19 in Figure 3 isprovided, such light having a bulb 20 and a base portion 25. Ordinarily,of course, a number of lights 19 will be provided which are connected bya suitable electrical cable, either in series or in parallel. Forsimplicity in illustrating the present invention only one such light isshown. As will be seen, the base portion 25 of the light 19 is fittedinto the collar or holder element 16. The diameter of the collar 16 issuch that it must be expanded to receive the base 25 and being ofresilient metal construction it will clamp the base firmly. It is alsoadapted to clamp a range of sizes. A twig or branch of a Christmas treeis shown at 26 in Figure 3. Assuming that it is desired to mount thelight 19 in erect position, the twig or branch 26 is inserted betweenthe angular end portions 14a of the clip 14, thereby expanding them.When the twig is lodged within the clip 14, the pin 18 will penetratethe twig. It will, therefore, be apparent that the light 19 will besecured in upright position.

Instead of forming an end tab at 15 and inserting a pin as shown at 18,the tab 15 may be eliminated and the area of intersection between thearms 14 and body 12 may be punched out to form a triangular metalprojection which will serve as a pin similar to the pin 18.

Among the advantages of the structure thus described and illustratedthere may be mentioned the following:

It can be manufactured very cheaply and all of one piece except the pin18. The method of mounting a Christmas tree light in the holder is theessence of simplicity, and the step of mounting the holder on a twig orbranch of a tree is also very simple. There is no contact between thelight 19 or any part thereof and the twig or branch and the joint actionof the clip 14 and the pin 18 hold the light securely in the desiredposition.

It will, therefore, be apparent that a Christmas tree light holder hasbeen provided which has several important advantages.

I claim:

A Christmas tree light holder of the character described comprising asingle piece of resilient sheet material having a substantially verticalbody portion having upper and lower ends, a collar portion fixed to theupper end of the body portion, projecting substantially horizontallytherefrom and adapted to receive and to clamp the base of a Christmastree light, a bifurcated clip fixed to the lower end of said bodyportion, projecting downwardly and adapted to fit over and to clamp to atree branch, and a References Cited in, the file ofthisr patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 568,121 Varian Sept. 22, 1896 '4 Schlueter May 11,1891Rinker Nov. 29, 1904 Deckert Apr. 2, 1912 Tedaldi Apr. 24, 1956 FOREIGNPATENTS Germany Apr. 26, 1893 Germany July 9, 1904 uin.

